FPK1
Line Up and Wait
I use them too, they turned my 2 around in 5 hours for me...
Mags - Rebuild or just buy new?
- Thread starter WDD
- Start date
Wagondriver
Line Up and Wait
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2020
- Messages
- 808
- Display Name
- 375Taylor
When I needed a 500 hour INSPECTION, I bought an inspected one from Aircraft Magneto. Sent them my first one that needed the inspection, got it back and swapped it for the other one, then sent that one in. No downtime, and I have a spare ready to go now. One cost about $500, the other about $1100, when I picked up the 2nd one I asked why the difference in price. When tested, the one had a bad coil, the other did not. I asked why the bad coil never showed up in a mag check. I was told that when a wire in the coil breaks, the electricity will jump the break until the ends of the wire burn back from the arcing, then it will show up in a mag check.
I trust a properly inspected mag before I trust a factory new one. A few years ago, IIRC, both manufacturers had problems with new mags.
I trust a properly inspected mag before I trust a factory new one. A few years ago, IIRC, both manufacturers had problems with new mags.
I agree. And for similar reasons, I prefer to have one mag's inspection/overhauls offset half an interval (250 hours) from the other.
Sound reasoning, and not just theoretical. When I was running Slicks I had 2 separate mag failures within 4 hours of one another.
Dana
Final Approach
I looked at the options for my bad Slick 4301 mag:
Send it out for the 500 hour service (~$500) and see what it needs. It might turn into an overhaul depending on what they find.
Get it overhauled for $1100. All new internal parts.
Get an exchange for $1600-1700 (ACS price).
Emag electronc ignition for $2335 plus some additional parts.
New Powerup (Slick clone made by Hartzell) mag for $2225.
Get a new Slick mag for $2428.
I considered overhauling it myself (legal as it's experimental), I've done it before, but the overhaul parts kit is $1200 and requires special tools to do it right.
I ended up sending it to Aero Accessories as Aircraft Magneto Service currently has a 4-5 week turnaround and Aero Accessories was two days. They got my mag, determined that the capacitor was bad (as I had already determined though I wasn't sure), but the whole thing needed overhaul, as it probably never had been serviced in its 34 year lifetime. The overhauled mag should arrive tomorrow.
Next year I'll send the other one out for overhaul.
Send it out for the 500 hour service (~$500) and see what it needs. It might turn into an overhaul depending on what they find.
Get it overhauled for $1100. All new internal parts.
Get an exchange for $1600-1700 (ACS price).
Emag electronc ignition for $2335 plus some additional parts.
New Powerup (Slick clone made by Hartzell) mag for $2225.
Get a new Slick mag for $2428.
I considered overhauling it myself (legal as it's experimental), I've done it before, but the overhaul parts kit is $1200 and requires special tools to do it right.
I ended up sending it to Aero Accessories as Aircraft Magneto Service currently has a 4-5 week turnaround and Aero Accessories was two days. They got my mag, determined that the capacitor was bad (as I had already determined though I wasn't sure), but the whole thing needed overhaul, as it probably never had been serviced in its 34 year lifetime. The overhauled mag should arrive tomorrow.
Next year I'll send the other one out for overhaul.
ateamer
En-Route
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
- Messages
- 2,982
- Location
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Display Name
- ateamer
- Home Airfield
- FD88
Our new-to-us 175 came with a recently overhauled O-360 that included both Slick mags overhauled by Kelly. At 80 hours, the left mag failed and left me AOG when I couldn’t get a good start. It was out of warranty, calendar-wise; the previous owner hadn’t flown it much since overhauling (no corrosion - it was borescoped at the prebuy).
We sent the mag to a different repair station, who found it was worn beyond limits. The owner had nothing positive to say about Kelly, and said that he’s repaired other mags that were overhauled by Kelly and failed soon afterward.
We sent the mag to a different repair station, who found it was worn beyond limits. The owner had nothing positive to say about Kelly, and said that he’s repaired other mags that were overhauled by Kelly and failed soon afterward.
Starting difficulties are often due to a broken Impulse Coupling Spring.
Low flying hours seem to have a reverse effect here. Springs of any kind
are not tolerant of rust regardless how minute. Note when you fly and
get oil up to temp you are putting a bath of hot oil on the Spring and other
components. Dan will agree with this as opposed to a ground run.
Per Slick; ALWAYS replace the Spring when the IC is disassembled.
My practice is to immerse the assembled IC in a can of hot oil
before installing on the mag.
Low flying hours seem to have a reverse effect here. Springs of any kind
are not tolerant of rust regardless how minute. Note when you fly and
get oil up to temp you are putting a bath of hot oil on the Spring and other
components. Dan will agree with this as opposed to a ground run.
Per Slick; ALWAYS replace the Spring when the IC is disassembled.
My practice is to immerse the assembled IC in a can of hot oil
before installing on the mag.
Interesting that the IC should be splashed with engine oil, but the rest of the magneto is isolated from the oil, and the magneto has a seal to keep it out so it doesn't contaminate the points and other internal parts.